Respiratory infections, particularly upper respiratory infections (“URIs”) are very common and cause substantial suffering and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic loss every year. The majority of the pathogens contributing to upper respiratory tract infections are spread through air and through direct contact by touching of hands to infected surfaces and then touching hands to eyes, nose, or mouth. The nasopharynx, nasal passages, and sinus cavities all play an important role in filtering and housing the majority of these pathogens.
No effective, easy to use, and widely accepted cure, treatment, remedy, and particularly no prevention has been found for upper respiratory infections. Stores are full of products that are alleged to reduce the severity of symptoms after infection has already developed. Numerous “home remedies,” homeopathic products and treatments, and the like also exist. Many of these products offer little more than a placebo effect treatment, and the patient basically eventually fights the infection using internal infection-fighting resources. Vaccines exist for influenza. These are typically highly specific to a particular organism and must be newly developed each year for the strain or strains prevalent that year. Prescription medicines are also available to treat influenza, although the cost, need for a prescription, and associated time delays before beginning treatment have prevented the widespread use of such medicines.
Certain generally recommended hygiene practices can reduce the spread of URIs. These include washing hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water; washing face, nose, eyes; not touching dirty hands to the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and face; resting well; eating well; and exercising. At various times in the past, oral rinses (mouthwashes) have also been suggested to be beneficial for treating cold symptoms. However, such recommendations do not appear on current products, because efficacy has not been demonstrated, and manufacturers want to avoid accusations of false claims.